Diagnostic tool for pulmonary diseases

• US 20070191687A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Inventors: JUSTUS, Claus
• Application Number:
  US10/584,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0406 specially shaped apparatus housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A diagnostic tool for pulmonary diseases comprises a display unit (2) for displaying predefined diagnostic questions relating to the pulmonary disease and for outputting a diagnostic prognosis on the disease, an input unit (4) for receiving responses from a user to the diagnostic questions displayed on the display unit (4), a storage unit (8) for storing the predefined questions and the interactively input responses, a calculation unit (6) for assigning each received response a predetermined count value, adding up the count values obtaining a final count value, assigning the final count value the diagnostic prognosis using a pre-defined result table (15) stored in the storage unit (8). The diagnostic tool according to the present invention allows the general practitioner or the patient to carry out a fast first diagnosis on functional lunge disease, in particular COPD. If a high probability, for example in percentage points, is established, further, more detailed diagnostic steps may be undertaken.

Claims

1. A diagnostic tool adapted to assist in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases, based on data not including lung function measurement data, comprising:

a display unit (2) for displaying predefined diagnostic questions relating to the pulmonary disease, and for outputting a diagnostic prognosis on the disease,

input unit (4) adapted to receive responses from a user to the diagnostic questions displayed on the display unit (2),

a storage unit (8) having stored thereon the predefined questions and the interactively input responses, and

a calculation unit (6) adapted to;

assign each received response a predetermined count value,

add up the count values obtaining a final count value, and

assign the final count value the diagnostic prognosis using a predefined result table (15) stored in the storage unit (8).

2. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic prognosis is given as a percentage value for the general practitioner or a risk factor for the patient.

3. The diagnostic tool of claims claim 1, wherein the diagnostic questions comprise questions about patient demographic data, smoking status and subjective patient disease symptoms.

4. The diagnostic tool of claim 3, wherein the demographic data include age, sex and/or body mass index (BMI) of the patient.

5. The diagnostic tool of claim 3, wherein the questions about the smoking status of the patient include questions about current smoking status and aggregate smoking history.

6. The diagnostic tool of claim 5, wherein the calculation unit (6) utilises a transformation table (25) assigning predetermined count values to different combinations of smoking intensity (cigarettes per day) and smoking duration (in years).

7. The diagnostic tool of one of claim 3, wherein the subjective patient disease symptoms include breathing restrictions, phlegm and chest wheezing or whistling.

8. The diagnostic tool of one of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic tool is formed as an electronic instrument (10).

9. The diagnostic tool of claim 8, being formed as a handheld device comprising an input key (4) and a scroll wheel (4a) allowing one hand operation of the diagnostic tool.

10. The diagnostic tool of claim 8, comprising photovoltaic cells (7) as power source.

11. The diagnostic tool of one of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic tool is integrated with a handheld computer or organiser.

12. The diagnostic tool of one of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic tool comprises a casing for housing a prescription pad (21) and a pen.

13. The diagnostic tool of one of claim 1, being formed as a mechanical device.

14. The diagnostic tool of claim 1 which can be operated in remote application, as for example by Internet, by Email, SMS or MMS.

15. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic tool is used for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

16. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic tool is used for diagnosing previously undiagnosed persons.

17. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic tool is used as a tool for the recruitment of participants for clinical trials.

18. The diagnostic tool of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic tool is used as a differential diagnosis tool allowing to differentiate COPD from other chronic obstructive respiratory diseases such as asthma.

19. A method of diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a person, wherein the method comprises the input and evaluation of responses from said person with the aid of a diagnostic tool of claim 1.

20. A method of diagnosing COPD in a previously undiagnosed person, wherein the method comprises the input and evaluation of responses from said person with the aid of a diagnostic tool of claim 1.

21. A method for the recruitment of participants for clinical trials, wherein the method comprises the input and evaluation of responses from potential participants with the aid of a diagnostic tool of claim 1.

22. A method to differentiate COPD from other chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, wherein the method comprises the input and evaluation of responses from a person with the aid of a diagnostic tool of claim 1.

23. A method to differentiate COPD from asthma, wherein the method comprises the input and evaluation of responses from a person with the aid of a diagnostic tool of claim 1.